# Chess vs Chess Tablebase for Stockfish

The clearest difference is price: Chess Tablebase for Stockfish at Free against Chess's $3.99. Chess Tablebase for Stockfish also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Chess's advantage is ratings volume (116 vs 21) and review sentiment (92% vs 83%). On rating, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Chess Tablebase for Stockfish is free to download; Chess costs $3.99 up front. Chess sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Chess Tablebase for Stockfish asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess against 4.8 for Chess Tablebase for Stockfish. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess has 116 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Chess's written reviews are positive against 83% of Chess Tablebase for Stockfish's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess | Chess Tablebase for Stockfish |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545/reviews) | **[4.8 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tablebase-for-stockfish/id1183121054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **116** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 237 MB | 944 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Giordano Vicoli](https://appshunter.io/developer/460922805) | [Ted Wong](https://appshunter.io/developer/570426131) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-studio/id684224545)

Manage and study chess databases and games in PGN format with advanced analysis tools. Supports game creation, modification, and import from various sources. Includes engine analysis, opening book management, and puzzle training.

**Highlights:** PGN database and game management, Create, modify, and import games, Advanced engine analysis with Stockfish, Opening book and ChessBase support, Chess 960 (Fischer Random) support, Diagram recognition for PGN conversion, Puzzle training and online play

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $8.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Powerful chess database features
- 👍 Comprehensive analysis tools
- 👍 Excellent PGN management
- 👍 Great value for price
- 👍 Frequent updates and improvements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Steep learning curve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Unintuitive interface
- 🐛 Some users find it confusing
- 🐛 Missing dark mode

**Reported bugs**

- Problem saving updated game data
- Engine stopped working after 30 seconds
- App crashes when adding annotations without hitting 'edit mode' first
- Crash opening .pgn in landscape mode
- Crashes when selecting a cell with 0 games associated

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode
- Add board flip button
- Improve interface for screen reader users
- Add private game feature with code
- Add computer whole game analysis with annotations


### Chess Tablebase for Stockfish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-tablebase-for-stockfish/id1183121054)

Manage chess endgame tablebase files for enhanced Stockfish AI analysis. Import pre-installed or custom files, and query positions for win/draw outcomes. Ideal for serious chess players seeking to improve engine performance.

**Highlights:** Manage chess endgame tablebase files, Integrates with SmallFish iOS app, Import pre-installed 5-men tablebases, Import custom tablebase files, Query endgame positions for win/draw, Enhances Stockfish engine performance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess free?

Chess costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Chess Tablebase for Stockfish free?

Chess Tablebase for Stockfish is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chess or Chess Tablebase for Stockfish?

Chess Tablebase for Stockfish is rated higher. Chess averages 4.7 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while Chess Tablebase for Stockfish averages 4.8 from 21 ratings.

### Do Chess or Chess Tablebase for Stockfish have ads?

Neither Chess nor Chess Tablebase for Stockfish shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess or Chess Tablebase for Stockfish?

Chess ships an update fortnightly, and Chess Tablebase for Stockfish fortnightly. Most recently, Chess was updated on September 22, 2026 and Chess Tablebase for Stockfish on September 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*